ARTICLE 370
So in the end article 370, which gave special status to Jammu & Kashmir has been made inoperative by a notification issued by the President. And immediately after that Amit Shah, the Home Minister, announced the bifurcation of Jammu & Kashmir State into 2 Union Territories, the first one being Ladhak region which will be Union territory without Legislature and second one being Jammu & Kashmir region with Legislature. The bill for the same was tabled in Rajya Sabha, and after much deliberations the bill was passed with 125-61 majority.
This move of scrapping article 370 and bifurcation of J & K state took the opposition parties by surprise. There was inkling that some thing major is going to happen in Kashmir as there was big troop built up in Kashmir area, and first Amarnath yatra was stopped and pilgrimages were asked to return, second all tourist were asked to leave Kashmir area, internet and mobile phone were forced out, and lastly on Sunday night leaders like Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah were put under house arrest. And on Monday morning the bombshell of scrapping article 370 and bifurcation of state happened.
The move was applauded by majority of citizen across the country. In the Rajya Sabha also barring Congress, SP, TMC, DMK and Communists (along with their allied parties), all other parties supported and voted for the bill. The parties which openly criticises the Modi govt, like BSP, AAP, BJD, TDP supported the bill.
But is was one of biggest setback for Congress, who never thought in their wildest dream that Modi govt will take this step, and what was surprising that the govt use a provision in the article 370 to scrap the same. Clause 3 of Article 370 reads “ Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this article, the President may, by public notification, declare that this article shall cease to be operative or shall be operative only with such exceptions and modifications and from such date as he may specify.”
But the one party which lost its face was Congress. The government’s move to end special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 has split the Congress down the middle. More and more prominent leaders of the leading opposition party are coming out in support of the radical decision, which also includes the state’s bifurcation into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
A senior party leader like Abhishek Manu Singhvi admitted that the party has been outfoxed. We have been politically outwitted as we are among four or five parties alone that have opposed it. I wouldn’t say we didn’t know about it because I think everybody in our party, from Ghulam Nabi Azad to P Chidambaram, have been talking about it for the last one week. It was the closest to an open secret, but obviously one could not be sure. But yes we are now in a very small number of parties which argued and opposed and voted against it, but a democracy is a democracy… you have to go by the numbers,”.
The bill to reorganise Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories sailed through Rajya Sabha, where the government is short of a majority, with several opposition parties walking out and others siding with the government, like BSP, BJD, YSR Congress, TDP and AAP. When Rahul Gandhi was asked about the divide within the ranks on the Kashmir move, he responded that he is no more Congress President, and can not call CWC meeting to discuss this issue.
In the end party’s Rajya Sabha members like Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibal blasted the move, calling it ‘murder of democracy’, and Congress MPs in Lok Sabha staged a walkout led by Sonia Gandhi, outside parliament several Congress leaders came out in support of it, calling it their “personal” view.
I support scrapping of Art 370 (as opening words say it’s temporary) but Only and Only in accordance with provisions and methodology provided by the Constitution of India which mandates consent of J&K State Assembly -any other way is Unconstitutional, tweeted Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill.
Taking a neutral stand, Milind Deora, Congress leader from Mumbai tweeted: “Very unfortunate that Article 370 is being converted into a liberal vs conservative debate. Parties should put aside ideological fixations and debate what’s best for India’s sovereignty and federalism, peace in J & K, jobs for Kashmiri youth and justice for Kashmiri Pandits.”
Deepender Hooda, another Congress leader, tweeted: “My personal view is that there is no need to have Article 370 in the 21st century. The move is not only in the interest of the country but also for the benefit of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India. It is the responsibility of the government to implement the move in a peaceful environment.”
Congress Chief whip B Kalita quit the party and Rajya Sabha, calling the Congress stand on Kashmir ‘suicide’ and against the emotion and mood of the country He said in a statement: “The Congress has asked me to issue a whip on the Kashmir issue. But the truth is that the mood of the nation has completely changed and this whip is against the public sentiment across the country….It seems the Congress is committing suicide with this ideology and I do not want to be part of this.”
In my opinion Congress has failed to judge the emotions of the general public and they might approach the Supreme Court with some legal point to save their face. But whatever may be the outcome of legal case, one thing is certain that in the eyes of majority of citizen Narendra Modi has become Hero, as people have realised that he delivers what he says. Article 370 and Triple Talaq bill are the latest example. Lastly the combination of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah is being now termed as team of modern day Chandragupta and Chanakya in Indian Politics.
And may be the date of 5th Aug 2109 will be remembered for ever in modern Indian history.
Let us wait and watch for Congress party’s next step.
Awaiting your views/comments/feed backs.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
6th Aug 2019
ARTICLE 370
So in the end article 370, which gave special status to Jammu & Kashmir has been made inoperative by a notification issued by the President. And immediately after that Amit Shah, the Home Minister, announced the bifurcation of Jammu & Kashmir State into 2 Union Territories, the first one being Ladhak region which will be Union territory without Legislature and second one being Jammu & Kashmir region with Legislature. The bill for the same was tabled in Rajya Sabha, and after much deliberations the bill was passed with 125-61 majority.
This move of scrapping article 370 and bifurcation of J & K state took the opposition parties by surprise. There was inkling that some thing major is going to happen in Kashmir as there was big troop built up in Kashmir area, and first Amarnath yatra was stopped and pilgrimages were asked to return, second all tourist were asked to leave Kashmir area, internet and mobile phone were forced out, and lastly on Sunday night leaders like Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah were put under house arrest. And on Monday morning the bombshell of scrapping article 370 and bifurcation of state happened.
The move was applauded by majority of citizen across the country. In the Rajya Sabha also barring Congress, SP, TMC, DMK and Communists (along with their allied parties), all other parties supported and voted for the bill. The parties which openly criticises the Modi govt, like BSP, AAP, BJD, TDP supported the bill.
But is was one of biggest setback for Congress, who never thought in their wildest dream that Modi govt will take this step, and what was surprising that the govt use a provision in the article 370 to scrap the same. Clause 3 of Article 370 reads “ Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this article, the President may, by public notification, declare that this article shall cease to be operative or shall be operative only with such exceptions and modifications and from such date as he may specify.”
But the one party which lost its face was Congress. The government’s move to end special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 has split the Congress down the middle. More and more prominent leaders of the leading opposition party are coming out in support of the radical decision, which also includes the state’s bifurcation into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
A senior party leader like Abhishek Manu Singhvi admitted that the party has been outfoxed. We have been politically outwitted as we are among four or five parties alone that have opposed it. I wouldn’t say we didn’t know about it because I think everybody in our party, from Ghulam Nabi Azad to P Chidambaram, have been talking about it for the last one week. It was the closest to an open secret, but obviously one could not be sure. But yes we are now in a very small number of parties which argued and opposed and voted against it, but a democracy is a democracy… you have to go by the numbers,”.
The bill to reorganise Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories sailed through Rajya Sabha, where the government is short of a majority, with several opposition parties walking out and others siding with the government, like BSP, BJD, YSR Congress, TDP and AAP. When Rahul Gandhi was asked about the divide within the ranks on the Kashmir move, he responded that he is no more Congress President, and can not call CWC meeting to discuss this issue.
In the end party’s Rajya Sabha members like Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibal blasted the move, calling it ‘murder of democracy’, and Congress MPs in Lok Sabha staged a walkout led by Sonia Gandhi, outside parliament several Congress leaders came out in support of it, calling it their “personal” view.
I support scrapping of Art 370 (as opening words say it’s temporary) but Only and Only in accordance with provisions and methodology provided by the Constitution of India which mandates consent of J&K State Assembly -any other way is Unconstitutional, tweeted Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill.
Taking a neutral stand, Milind Deora, Congress leader from Mumbai tweeted: “Very unfortunate that Article 370 is being converted into a liberal vs conservative debate. Parties should put aside ideological fixations and debate what’s best for India’s sovereignty and federalism, peace in J & K, jobs for Kashmiri youth and justice for Kashmiri Pandits.”
Deepender Hooda, another Congress leader, tweeted: “My personal view is that there is no need to have Article 370 in the 21st century. The move is not only in the interest of the country but also for the benefit of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India. It is the responsibility of the government to implement the move in a peaceful environment.”
Congress Chief whip B Kalita quit the party and Rajya Sabha, calling the Congress stand on Kashmir ‘suicide’ and against the emotion and mood of the country He said in a statement: “The Congress has asked me to issue a whip on the Kashmir issue. But the truth is that the mood of the nation has completely changed and this whip is against the public sentiment across the country….It seems the Congress is committing suicide with this ideology and I do not want to be part of this.”
In my opinion Congress has failed to judge the emotions of the general public and they might approach the Supreme Court with some legal point to save their face. But whatever may be the outcome of legal case, one thing is certain that in the eyes of majority of citizen Narendra Modi has become Hero, as people have realised that he delivers what he says. Article 370 and Triple Talaq bill are the latest example. Lastly the combination of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah is being now termed as team of modern day Chandragupta and Chanakya in Indian Politics.
And may be the date of 5th Aug 2109 will be remembered for ever in modern Indian history.
Let us wait and watch for Congress party’s next step.
Awaiting your views/comments/feed backs.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
6th Aug 2019
v
R. N. Mungale.
All said_done we must get Kashmiris to feel & accept that it is in their interest.